2008-2009

Helping seniors help themselves

Although he still runs around a tennis court and walks miles playing golf, Tom Towers ’59 knows that there will come a time when he and his wife, Joan, might need a helping hand with daily chores and maintaining their house.
As president of...

Fighting for affordable housing

Alison Badgett ’01, executive director of Homes for New Jersey, is pushing politicians in New Jersey to make good on their promises to build inexpensive homes.
About a year ago, when New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine warned that the state’s budget...

Silly songs and political parodies

Henry “Hank” Card ’77 and Conrad Deisler ’78 admit that the songs of their satirical country/folk/bluegrass band, the Austin Lounge Lizards, aren’t for everyone.
When they played a bluegrass festival a few years back, for example, “We thought...

Inspiring people to give more away

Americans on average give away 2.4 percent of their household income per year. Christopher Ellinger ’78 thinks most Americans can do better. So Ellinger, who by his mid-30s had given away half of his large inheritance from his grandparents,...

Figuring out happiness

Want to be happy? It’s pretty simple, actually. Put aside the toys. Figure out what you’re good at. And then apply your strengths to a greater purpose. And don’t forget to cultivate optimism along the way. That, in a nutshell, is what Martin...